Three out of four American voters think the White House meeting Thursday between
congressional leaders and President Barack Obama is unlikely to produce meaningful results, as
they turn thumbs down on everyone involved, the president, congressional Republicans and
congressional Democrats, according to a Quinnipiac University national poll released today.

American voters disapprove 49 - 44 percent of the job President Obama is doing,
statistically unchanged from his 47 - 44 percent disapproval, his lowest grade, in a September 9
survey by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University, conducted by live
interviewers.

But voters disapprove 63 - 27 percent of the job Republicans in Congress are doing and
disapprove 66 - 27 percent of the job Democrats are doing.

Looking at the Bush tax cuts:

35 percent of voters say the tax cuts should continue for everyone;

43 percent say the tax cuts should continue only for those earning less than $250,000;

14 percent say all the tax cuts should expire.

When it comes to the public's priorities, 45 percent want more spending to stimulate job
creation, while 32 percent want the budget deficit reduced and 17 percent want taxes cut.

Support for spending to create jobs ranges from 35 percent among upper income voters to
53 percent for lower income voters.

"President Barack Obama's job approval is an ominous measure of his problems with
American voters," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling
Institute. "He does poorly among whites, older voters, men, political independents and those
who earn more than $50,000 a year."

"We see similar results on whether the country is better off because of the president's
policies, and his handling of the economy. He has lost his majority support in the middle class
and that's why his numbers remain at an all-time low," Brown added.

Obama should compromise his positions on major issues, 72 percent of voters say, while
63 percent want Republican congressional leaders to compromise. Voters say 48 - 44 percent
that Obama's policies will hurt rather than help the country in the long run.

While voters say 59 - 36 percent the president should change his course in response to
this month's election results, they say 49 - 41 percent that he will not do so.

Voters say 45 - 42 percent that congressional Republicans rather than President Obama
are best able to handle the economy. Voters split on health care as 45 percent trust Republicans
more and 44 percent trust Obama more.

Voter pessimism about Thursday's White House meeting on reducing the federal deficit
is palpable. They say 73 - 22 percent the two sides are too far apart to produce meaningful
results. A majority of every demographic group feels that way.

"Americans want both sides to compromise, but they want the president to make
concessions more than they do congressional Republicans," said Brown.

As for the congressional leaders meeting with Obama, voters have very low opinions of
the Democrats and know very little about the Republicans:

Voters still say 43 - 37 percent that Barack Obama is a better president than George W.
Bush, who is viewed unfavorably by American voters 54 - 41 percent.

From November 8 - 15, Quinnipiac University surveyed 2,424 registered voters
nationwide with a margin of error of +/- 2 percentage points.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public
opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio and the
nation as a public service and for research.
For more data or RSS feed- http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, call (203) 582-5201, or
follow us on Twitter.

16. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as
President?

26. President Obama and Democratic and Republican congressional leaders are to
meet at the White House next week. Do you think there is a good chance they can
come to an agreement on major issues or do you think they are too far apart and
meaningful compromise on major matters is unlikely?